Three Hours of Endless Tapas: A Review of Cuba Libre’s Tapas Tuesdays

Stepping into Cuba Libre, we felt as if we had entered a warm, tropical place. The colored tile floor, patterned wicker chairs, smooth dark wood tables, and an assortment of greenery gave us the sense of being in a rustic Havana courtyard. This was further enhanced by the façade of houses lining a wall, painted in muted versions of primary colors, while the predominant use of reds and golds added a richness to the ambiance. Light shone through the dozens of windows lining the walls and ceiling and playfully filtered through the delicate stained glass. The combination of these windows and the thin string of twinkling candle-like lights created a sunny outdoor atmosphere.

We were seated promptly in the center of the room, lending us a full view of the restaurant. Our server walked us through the menu, beginning with drinks. Quite extensive, the drink list was fitting for a restaurant inspired by a country famed for its rum. The mojito variety was particularly impressive- there were more than 14 types to choose from. The server recommended the coconut mojito, which featured coco rum, cream of coconut, hierba buena (similar to mint) guarao (sugar cane pressed daily in-house), fresh lime juice, and ginger beer–creating a smooth, sweet, and tad frothy drink. Since it is far less acidic than a normal mojito, the coconut mojito is definitely a good choice for those who dislike a strong lime flavor. For more traditional mojito lovers, the classic mojito is incredibly tangy and refreshing as well.

For our meal, we decided to try Cuba Libre’s new Tapas Tuesday. This deal features unlimited tapas for $26.95 a person, and offers 25 different kinds of fish, meat, and vegetable-based dishes to choose from. As stereotypically broke college students, we couldn’t resist the thought of unlimited food, and wanted to see if this deal could compete with two dining hall meal swipes (clearly, a tough competition). The tapas menu is divided into three sections- Vegetal, Carne, and Del Mar–and we were prepared to conquer them all.

Our meal began with a generous basket of bread with mango butter. Reminiscent of churros or French toast, the fluffy bread contained a slight cinnamon coating. The mango butter added a smooth texture–although the mango flavor itself was a bit underwhelming.

Vegetal

The Vegetal section featured a range of traditional Cuban staples. As potato lovers, we were eager to try foods reminiscent of this flavor, and started with yuca fries served with cilantro-caper aioli. They were hot and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and similar to a baked potato. Paradoxically creamy and fluffy, the yuca fries lacked the grease component of the average french fry. Although the fries would have been far too dense on their own, the cilantro-caper aioli sauce (reminiscent of Bobby’s Burgers’ sauce) lightened them up with its refreshing flavors, and prevented the starchy yuca flavor from becoming too overpowering.

Next came spinach and manchego buñuelos– manchego spinach cheese puffs lined up like truffles on a plate, atop a goat cheese-ranch sauce with olive oil. The pillowy green puffs melted in our mouths like a cloud of cheese. The goat cheese of the sauce added richness, while the ranch and olive oil components brightened all the flavors. Following these was the tostones– twice-fried crisp green plantains, with a spicy Dijon dipping sauce. We enjoyed the sauce, as it was tangy with a horseradish kick. However, the tostones were thin and dry. The twice-fried technique left them extremely starchy, with none of the sweetness we typically associate with plantains.

Carne

Having somehow resisted eating every last yuca fry and bunuelo (we knew pacing was a must), we moved on to the meat- choosing the Cuba Libre Chicharronnes, Charcuterie Board, Mama Amelia’s Empanadas, and Barrio Chino Chicken Wings. First came the Charcuterie Board– featuring an assortment of cured meats, cheese, guava paste and honey-spiced almonds. The food was served on a deep red wooden plank, accentuating the bright colors of the spread. This board allowed us to mix and match our favorite meats, cheeses, crackers, and adornments. We quite enjoyed the traditional wedge of guava jam, which to our surprise, had actually come from a can.

Next up was Mama Amelia’s empanadas, which came in four varieties: ground beef, chicken, pulled pork, and three cheeses.  The ground beef empanada contained well-cooked but muted beef and we could hardly taste the raisins. The chicken, corn, and cheese empanada reminded us of chicken pot pie- the flavors blended together without any distinctiveness. However, as with all the empanadas, the sour cream aioli sauce brought out the flavors perfectly, and the accompanying watercress added a nice texture. One of our favorites, the pulled pork empanada was tender and savory, with a pleasant spicy kick. The final empanada was the epitome of comfort food, stuffed with three different kinds of cheese. The crunchy outside and oozing, warm cheese on the inside made this savory empanada a treat.

The empanadas showcased Cuba Libre’s technique, as did the Asian glazed chicken wings. Although the chicken wings seemed a little out of place among Cuban style tapas–we felt as if we needed a napkin around our necks to handle the messy wings–we enjoyed their crispy coating and tender meat. The tangy sweet chili sauce gave the otherwise mild wings a bold and exciting flavor.

Our final meat dish, the Cuba Libre chicarrones, or “sweet meats,” consisted of bite-sized pieces of sweet pork belly, slightly charred skirt steak, Cortez chorizo, and tangy chicken topped off with a fiery chili. The pork belly was deliciously fatty but lacked any sort of contrasting texture. The skirt steak was a little charred and mostly muted. However, the chicken was delicious. It was soft, sweet, and tangy, similar to general tsao’s chicken, and the accompanying mojo picante set our mouths on fire (skip this if you can’t do spicy!).

Del Mar

We were beyond full after the carne dishes. The sun had gone down, the small lights were twinkling, and the upbeat music was more noticeable in the background. Two hours later, crowds that had started next to us were still eating–enjoying the leisurely, relaxed pace created by Cuba Libre. However, we knew we couldn’t skip the seafood, and this was probably one of the best decisions of the night.

Drizzled in a refreshing and tangy passion and honey fruit sauce, the Crispy Calypso Shrimp and Sea Scallops (the chef’s favorite!) reminded us of days spent lounging on the beach. The shrimp was served on a skewer, making it aesthetically pleasing and easy to pick up– but a tad difficult to eat. Both the shrimp and scallops were perfectly crispy on the outside and moist and succulent on the inside. Even as people who rarely eat scallops, we could tell how special Cuba Libre’s scallops were. The chipotle aioli sauce was fantastic, and as with Cuba Libre’s other sauces, it brought the dish from merely enjoyable to outstanding.

The crab ceviche was lemony and light- a perfect cocktail of texture with soft tomato, smooth crab, crunchy peanuts, and savory cheese cubes. The steamed mussels arrived in a fragrant swirl of steaming garlic, and were comforting and filling. The poached lobster broth warmed the throat and united the accompanying kale, pork belly, caramelized onions, and roasted garlic. We were astounded by the Levanta Muerto seafood soup.

The soup featured shrimp, scallops, crabmeat, and mussels, with chino-cubano broth, coconut milk, and truffle oil. Even after thirteen other tapas, we couldn’t get enough of the flavors. The combination of the smooth coconut milk and the lemon and lime wedges was luxurious, and the truffle oil added a rare richness to the soup. It was certainly one of the most outstanding dishes of the night.

Postre

The vast quantity of savory foods left us craving something sweet to conclude our meal, and although dessert was not included in the $26.95 tapas menu, the dessert menu was far too tempting. To supplement our sweets, we ordered tea and cafe Cuba Libre for beverages. The Sri Lankan black tea, an exclusive Cuba Libre blend of passionfruit, mango, coconut, and chocolate, was exotic yet comforting, and the café Cuba Libre, an indulgent cup of Cuban coffee with steamed coconut milk, could have been a dessert in itself.

For edible desserts, we first tried the tres leches cake– vanilla sponge cake with mocha mousse, drenched in a pool of dulce de leche-flavored milks. We loved combining the creamy mousse, soft cake, and frothy milks, and noticed the definite hint of rum in each bite (rum lovers, this cake’s for you!).

 

As chocoholics, the chocolate torte was a more obvious second choice. A chocolate crust gave way to a gooey dulce de leche middle, and the richness of the chocolate was perfectly balanced by the tart blueberry compote, sweet chocolate-orange sauce, and refreshing dulce de leche ice cream. Even after our feast, we couldn’t help but finish every last bite.

 

Overall

From the presentation to the flavor combination, it’s clear that Cuba Libre meticulously plans the composition of each dish. We really enjoyed the tapas-style menu, which allowed us to sample dozens of flavors. Cuba Libre’s relaxed environment kept us from ever feeling rushed or hurried, and our resulting three-hour meal felt perfectly natural–our neighboring diners stayed for equally as long. Cuba Libre was a welcome break from our fast-paced days, and the outdoor-style Cuban décor made the stuffy streets of summer Philadelphia a distant memory. Such an ambiance makes Cuba Libre ideal for a romantic date night, relaxing dinner with parents, or a slightly upscale girls night out.

Strengths: Pork, chicken, seafood, sauces

Top Recommendations: Spinach and manchego buñuelos, Empanadas (pulled Pork, cheese), Crispy calypso shrimp and sea scallops, Levanta Muerto seafood soup, Chocolate torte, Classic mojito, Cafe Cuba Libre

Cuba Libre is located on 10 S. 2nd Street, about a two-minute walk from the 2nd and Market Septa stop. Lunch is served Monday-Friday from 11:30am to 3pm; brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm, with an unlimited brunch menu available from 10:30am to 1:30pm. Dinner is served Sunday-Wednesday from 4pm-last seating at 10pm and Thursday-Saturday 4pm-last seating at 11pm. Seating for Tapas Tuesday starts at 4pm and ends at 9pm. Happy Hour is from 5-7 pm Monday-Friday and the bar is open until 2 am on weekends. Reservations can be made by phone (215.627.0666) or online via OpenTable.

–Katie Behrman and Farrel Levenson